Machine for cleaning fabrics and cutting the loose ends of weft threads at the selvages



Nov. 30 1926. 1,609,183

R. OFFROY MACHINE FOR CLEANING FABRICSAND CUTTING THE LOOSE ENDS OF WEF'I' THREADS AT THE SELVALTES Filed Sept. 3. 152-. '7 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Nov. 30 1926. R OFFR 60?,183

OY 1 MACHINE FOR CLEANING FABRICS AND CUTTING THE LOOSE ENDS OFWEF THREADS AT THE SELVAGES Filed Sept. 5. 1924 "I Sheets-Sheet 2 R. OFFROY MACHINE FOR CLEANING FABRICS AND CUTTING THE LOOSE ENDS OF WEFT THREADS AT THE SELVAGES Filed Sept. 5.- 1924 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 30

, 1926' R. OFF-ROY 1,509,183 MACHINE FOR CLEANING FABHICSAND CUTTING THE LOOSE ENDS OF WEFT THREADS AT THE SELVAGES Filed Sept. :5. 192-4 7 Sheets-Sheet 4- Nov. 30 1926. I

R. OFFROY 1609l83 MACHINE FOR CLEANING FABRIQS AND CUTTING THE LOOSE ENDSOF WEFT THREADS AT THE SELVAGES Filed Sept. 5. 1924 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 E7 zve2z for Nov. 30 1926.

R. QFFROY MACHINE FOR.CLEAN*ING FABRICS AND CUTTING THE LOOSE ENDS THREADS AT THESELVAGES Filed Sept. 5. 1924 OF'WEFT 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 J g (/1) Q.

Allan-1e NOV- OFF-ROY MACHINE FOR CLEANING FABRICS AND CUTTING THE LOOSE ENDS OF WEFT THREADS AT THE SELVAGES Filed Sept. :5, 1924 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 1; v 46 I 17 I7 21 Patented Nov. 30, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RENE OFFROY, 0F MALAUNAY, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THE FIRM BLONDEL FILS 8t COMPANY. OF DEVILLE-LES-ROUEN. SEINE-INFERIEURE, FRANCE.

MACHINE FOR/CLEANING FABRICS AND CUTTING THE LOOSE ENDS OF WEFT THREADS AT THE SELVAGES.

Application filed September 3, 1924, Serial No. 735,675, and in France September 28, 1923.

Apparatus have already been designed for the purpose of removing the loose ends of threads on the surface of the fabric and for cutting off the loose ends of the weft threads at the selvages, in particular those resulting from the change of shuttles on looms known as automatic looms, but these apparatus are generally very costly and operate in a defective manner, being liable to become clogged or to cut the fabric itself.

The present invention relates to a machine which enables the same result to be obtained in a rational manner, the waste removed from the surface of the fabric, or the cut-off weft-threads, being sucked away in accordance as they are removed or cut 0d.

The invention consists in a machine comprising guide-rollers over which passes the iece of fabric to be treated, this machine eing provided with cylinders fitted with .soft card ribbons rotating at high speed, one above and the other below the fabric and grazing the latter very slightly. The free ends of the weft threads at the selvagc, and resulting from shuttle-changing, which wet't threads are incorporated in the fabric, are drawn by the rollers, wound up thereon, and are finally cut off when a certain length has been reached.

It also consists in the application of a blowing apparatus and of cutting-discs. The blowing apparatus is arranged to one side in such a manner as to act upon the loose ends of the threads at. the selvages in order to raise them so that they are presented, at right angles, to the action of the cutting-discs which cut them oil. A device enables the discs a (1) To constantly follow the transverse movement of the selvages;

(2) To move abruptly away from the fabric when it is desired momentarily to interrupt'their action.

The invention also consists in a suction device fixed to the cutting-off device and intended to withdraw, by suction. the impurities, waste particles and cut-off threads and to withdraw them from the machine so as to prevent any clogging or choking ot' the parts.

The invention finally consists in a driving mechanism for the various movements to which the organs of the said machine are to be sub ected.

A method of carrying out the invention is shown, but merely by way of example in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, Figs. 1 and 2 represent respectively an elevation and a plan of the entire machine for cleaning fabrics and for cutting off the loose ends of weft at the selvages, which forms the subject of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the cuttingdiscs in section. v

Fig. 4 is a frontview showing in detail the device for carrying the discs, the mechanism for in'iparting motion to and raising the discs as well as the blowing and suction devices.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the cutting device as well as of its operating mechanism.

.Figs. 6 and 7 show, respectively, a front View and a side view of a yoke serving to guide and to hold the shaft for raising the cutting-discs and imparting motion to them.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section along the line 8-8 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 9 is a vertical section of the device shown in Fig. 4 through the driving shaft and the translating screw.

The fabric to be treated is placed at 1 on the front of the machine, either upon the ground or upon a table. it it is folded, or upon two supports, when it is in the form of a roll, as shown in Fig. 1, the supports being of course movable and adjustable, according to the width of the fabric. The fabric 2 moves longitudinally of the machine from its forward to its rear end, and, during its passage through the machine, moves Over bars 3 which may be provided with divergent grooves which serve to stretch the fabric. This latter then passes over a roller 'covered with long pile fabric, emery, cards or any other material for the purpose of preventing the fabric from slipping; adjustable brakes enable the tension of this latter to be regulated. A bar 5 and a roller 6 enable the taking up of the fabric upon the roller 4 to be regulated; the fabric then passes over a guide-roller 7 but before reaching it. its upper and lower faces are subjected, without contact, to the action of rollers Ion 8 and 9 fitted with metallic or other cards which tear off the loose ends of threads on these two faces and shorten the threads of the selvage. The rollers 8 and 9 act upon the fabric without contacting therewith, that is to say theydo not act directly thereon but only upon the threads floating 'on the surface. Otherwise these rollers would scratch the fabric and give it a velvet-like surface, which is not desired. On the contrary,.owing to the high speed of rotation of the rollers and the high speed of movement of the fabric, this latteris subjected to a continuous vibration which causes it at one moment to approach one of the rollers and at another moment the other rollers thus enabling the cards mounted upon these rollers to engage the floating threads, which are thus torn off and shortened. According to the fabric treated, the ribbons used are carding ribbons or ribbons formed of hog bristles or other fibres. and these ribbons are arranged in spirals upon the rollers, care being taken that the direction of the arrangement always tends during the rotation of these rollers, to move the extremities of the threads towards the edges of the fabric.

1 Against each of these rollers 8 and 9, there is placed a brush-bar 8, 9 which serves to clean the cards. The selvage of the fabric then passes in front of the opening of the compressed air blower pipe 10 which raises the loose ends of weft at the selvages and presents them in this position to two cutting-discs 11 which cooperate so as to cut them off, the cut threads being then imme-Q diately removed by the suction pipe 13.

The discs 11 consist of circular ieces of sheet steel having bevelled edges which over- I lap slightly and rotate each in the opposite direct-iomso that the portions of their edges in contact move in 'a direction corresponding to the direction of movement of the fabric. They arefixed to the extremities of 'smallshafts 14 which carry driving pulleys 16 which receive their motion from pulleys 18 which will be described below; a spring 19 (Fig. 3) ensures contact between the discs. The disc carriers 12 are mounted uponfa shaft to which they. are-fixed by means of screws 19* (Fig. 2); so as to permit of their feasvt ad'u'stment', said shaft being carried by bent evers 17 which pivot and can move longitudinally upon the driving shaft 21 carrying the pulleys 18. {Between the bent levers 17 is arranged a supporting nut 22 alsomounted upon theshaft 21 and traversed-by a screw=23 which. causes its movement: .This nut 22 permits movementof a the bent'levers 17 and-of the driving pulleys l8 andjcarriesthesuction pipe 13 for the cut threads as well as the blower 10 (Fi 5 and 9).; The screw 23 which causes a longitudinal; movement of the nut 22 is actuated by hand through the intermediary of bevelled wheels 24 and 25 (Fig. 4) and of a shaft 26 provided with a; hand-wheel 26 and terminating in a handle 26 (see Fig.

.1). This shaft 26 serves at the same time to raisethe bentlevers 17, and with this end in view its extremity is carried by a yoke 27 which pivots upon the smooth extremity of the screw23 and upon the sleeve of the bevel-wheel 24, thus permitting the vertical movement of the shaft 15, by the intermediary of a. bent lever 28 pivoting on a screw 29 screwed on the upright bearing 20 (Figs. 1, 2. 4 and 9).

The extremity of, the shaft 26 passes througha slot formed ina cheek 30, shown in detail in Figs. 6 and-7, which guides it in its vertical movement and is provided with a latch 31 which oscillates upon the passage of the shaft 26 and returns automatically so as to; lock it in its uppermost position. When it is desired to return the cutting discs 11 intoposition for the urpcse of continuing the cutting operation,- t e latch 31 is swung by acting-upon its lever 31 so as to release the shaft 26 and to enable it to be returned to its lowermost position. To sum up, by this rotation, the shaft 26 permits of the movement of the discs'and of all the apparatus connect'edtherewith, and by the vertical movement of its extremity raises the same parts. The air under pressure delivered through the air blower pipe 10 for the purpose of raising the floating threads to be cut acts not only upon the fabric .but also upon the selvage which it tends to move away from the cutting disks. In order to prevent this, the fabric is caused to pass over a rigid bar 32 arranged below the cutting disks and is held in proper position by a roller 33 anda bar 34' which extend transversely of the machine. The bar 34 is slightly curved, as best shown in-Fig. 2, so as to cause the selva e of the fabric'to follow a longer path an to exert a greater tension upon thev selvage. This bar is mounted in such a manner as-to obtain a maximum effect by merely rotating it in its bearings.

Rotary brushes 35 and 36 remove the cut threads whiehmay remain upon the faces of the fabric as well as the dust; Two rollers 37 and 38 serve to drawthe fabric through the machine and allow'it to fall into a box placed underneath. M

The various parts of the machine are set in motion by any suitable motive power acting upon a shaft 39, the movement of which is transmitted by beltingto rollers 8 and 9 having carding ribbons, respectively,'by the pulleys'40-4l, 44-43, 42-51 (the belt passmg over the pulleys 42 and 51 being crossed), to the cutting discs biy means of grooved pulleys 45 and 46, an to the cleamng cylmders 35 and 36 by the pulleys 47, 48, 49 and 50 (Fig. 2

In view of e foregoing description',the

operation of the machine will be easily understood and does not necessitate any further explanation.

I claim: 7

1. A machine for removing the loose ends of weft-threads at the selvages of fabric, said loose ends resulting from shuttle-changing and being incorporated in the fabric, comprising means for passing the fabric through the machine, means for freeing the loose ends of the weft-threads from the fabric, cutting discs operating in proximity to the selvage of the fabric and pneumatic means acting parallel to the selvage and outside of the fabric for raising the loose threads of the selvage to enable them to be out by the cutting discs.

2. A machine for removing the loose ends of weft-threads at the selvages of fabric, said loose ends resulting from shuttle-changing and being incorporated in the fabric, comprising means for passing the fabric through the machine, rollers provided with carding ribbons, located above and below the fabric so as to merely graze the surfaces of this fabric and to entrain the loose ends of the weft threads incorporated in the fabric, cutting discs operating in proximity to the selvage and pneumatic means acting parallel to the selvage and outside the fabric for raising the loose threads of the selvage to enable them to be cut by the cutting discs.

3. A machine for removing the loose ends of weft-threads at the selvages of fabric, said loose ends resulting from shuttle-changing and being incorporated in the fabric, comprising means for passing the fabric through the machine, rollers located abgve and below said fabric so as to merely graze the surface of said fabric, and having carding ribbons wound upon them in the direction necessary for entraining, towards the selvages, the free ends of the weft-threads, cutting discs operating close to said selvages and pneumatic means operating parallel to the selvage and outside of the fabric for raising the loose ends of the selvage to. enable them to be severed by the cutting discs.

4. A machine for removing the loose ends of weft-threads at the selvages of fabric, said loose ends resulting from shuttle-changing and being incorporated in the fabric, comprising means for passing the fabric through themachine, means for releasing the free ends of the weft-threads from the fabric, cutting discs operating near the selvage,

means for moving said cutting discs transversely of the fabric, and pneumatic'me'ans operating parallel to the selvage and outside the fabric to raise the loose ends of thread to enable them to be cut by the cutting discs.

5. A machine of the class described, com

prising means for passing the fabric through the machine, means for releasing the free ends of the weft threads from the fabric, cutting discs operating near the selvage, means for vertically raising and lowering the said cutting discs relative to the fabric and pneumatic means acting arallel to the selvage and outside the fabric to raise the loose ends of thread to enable them to be cut by the cutting discs.

- RENE OFFROY. 

